Global Solar PV Demand Hits Quarterly High, Pushing Cumulative Deployment to 200 GW, According to NPD Solarbuzz

Solar PV installed in the fourth quarter of 2014 to reach 20 GW; 2014 on track to reach 50 GW

Santa Clara, Calif., October 6, 2014—Global solar photovoltaic (PV) installations added during the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2014 are forecast to exceed 19.5 gigawatts (GW), pushing global cumulative PV deployment towards the 200 GW mark. The amount of solar PV deployed in Q4 is forecast to be equivalent to the energy supplied by five large-scale nuclear power plants and will surpass the total annual solar PV deployed in 2010. According to findings in the latest NPD Solarbuzz Quarterly report, this record quarterly figure will be driven in large part by China, and will ensure that the PV industry approaches the previously forecast 50 GW annual installation level in 2014.


The Chinese market is driving year-end growth, with Q4 demand forecast to exceed 7 GW, more than doubling quarter-on-quarter, and up more than 10 percent compared to Q4 2013. Japan and the United States are also expected to add several gigawatts of demand during the fourth quarter; these three major countries are set to account for approximately 70 percent of PV deployed in this period.

With the PV industry approaching a more balanced supply-and-demand environment, investments in new manufacturing facilities are likely to be announced soon. "Global PV end-market demand continues to set new records, restoring investor confidence in the PV industry after several years of overcapacity and declining profits," said Michael Barker, senior analyst at NPD Solarbuzz. "Having been put on hold over the past six months, due mainly to trade-related uncertainties, record quarterly and annual shipment levels will prove crucial to investors that have been hesitant to commit to new capacity funds."

For more information about the NPD Solarbuzz Solarbuzz Quarterly, contact Charles Camaroto at 888-436-7673 or 516-625-2452, or e-mail contact@displaysearch.com for more information.

About NPD Solarbuzz
NPD Solarbuzz, part of The NPD Group, offers Marketbuzz, Solarbuzz Quarterly, and annual downstream photovoltaic (PV) market reports, providing the solar energy and PV industries with global historical and forecast data for the PV supply chain. For more information, visit www.solarbuzz.com or follow us on Twitter at @Solarbuzz.

About The NPD Group, Inc.
The NPD Group provides global information and advisory services to drive better business decisions. By combining unique data assets with unmatched industry expertise, we help our clients track their markets, understand consumers, and drive profitable growth. Practice areas include automotive, beauty, consumer electronics, entertainment, fashion, food/foodservice, home, luxury, mobile, office supplies, sports, technology, toys, and video games. For more information, visit npd.com and npdgroupblog.com. Follow us on Twitter at @npdtech and @npdgroup.

Featured Product

​Stäubli Electrical Connectors

​Stäubli Electrical Connectors

​Stäubli Electrical Connectors are used on more than 300 GW, over 50% of the PV capacity worldwide. The MC4 family of UL and TUV listed products include connectors, in-line fuses, branch connectors, cable assembly and more.